Bill Fulton resigns, city searching for new planning director

The city of San Diego is searching for a new planning director after Bill Fulton tendered his letter of resignation and will work his last day on Aug. 30 in the position he held for a slightly over a year.

In a letter to the City Council Friday, David Graham, deputy chief operating officer of neighborhood services, said Fulton is leaving to accept a position as director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University. Graham said the city is beginning a national search to fill the position, and will notify the Council if an interim director is necessary.

Fulton was appointed to the position by then-mayor Bob Filner in June 2013, and is well known and well respected in the city planning community.